YouTube vs Podcast for Financial Advisors: Which Should You Start?

You've decided to start creating content for your financial planning practice. Good move. But now comes the question: should you start a YouTube channel or a podcast?

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Both are popular with financial advisors. Both build trust. Both position you as an authority. But they're not equal — and the right choice depends on what you actually want to achieve.

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We'll break this down honestly. We run a YouTube production agency, so yes, we have a bias. But we'll give podcasting a fair hearing — because in some situations it genuinely is the better fit.

Discoverability: YouTube Wins (and It's Not Close)

This is the single biggest difference between the two platforms.

YouTube is a search engine

When someone types "how much super do I need to retire" into YouTube or Google, your video can appear in the results. People discover your content by searching for topics you've covered. You don't need an existing audience — YouTube brings the audience to you.

Podcasts are not discoverable

Nobody opens Apple Podcasts or Spotify and searches "financial advisor retirement planning." Podcast discovery happens through word of mouth, social media promotion, guest appearances, or newsletter cross-promotion. If you don't already have an audience or a distribution strategy, your podcast will launch to silence.

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This matters more than almost anything else. For a financial advisor who doesn't have a large existing following, YouTube gives you a path to being found. A podcast requires you to already have the audience — or to spend significant time and money building one elsewhere.

Trust-Building: Both Are Strong — YouTube Has an Edge

Both YouTube and podcasts build deep trust. Long-form audio and video allow your personality, expertise, and communication style to come through in a way that blog posts and social media posts simply can't.

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But YouTube has an edge: your face.

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Financial advice is personal. People want to see the person they're trusting with their retirement savings. Video lets them see your expressions, your body language, how you handle complex questions. It's the closest thing to sitting across the table from someone.

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Podcasts build familiarity through voice — and that's powerful. Regular listeners develop a genuine sense of connection. But video adds a layer that audio alone can't match, particularly in a trust-dependent industry.

Lead Generation: YouTube Wins

Here's where the rubber meets the road. You're not creating content for fun — you want it to generate leads for your practice.

YouTube leads are search-driven

Someone searches a question, finds your video, watches it, clicks through to your website or books a consultation. The intent is built in — they were already looking for help.

Podcast leads require more steps

A listener hears your episode, enjoys it, remembers your name, then separately searches for you or visits your website. The conversion path is longer and leakier.

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YouTube also provides actionable data. You can see exactly which videos drive traffic to your website, which topics generate the most enquiries, and where viewers drop off. Podcast analytics are comparatively primitive — downloads, maybe some demographic data, but very little insight into what actually drives conversions.

Production Effort: Podcasting Is Easier to Start

Credit where it's due — podcasting has a lower barrier to entry.

A basic podcast requires:

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• A decent microphone ($100-200)
• Free recording software (Audacity, GarageBand)
• A quiet room
• 1-2 hours per episode (recording + basic editing)
• A hosting platform (Buzzsprout, Anchor — many are free)

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A basic YouTube channel requires:

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• A camera (even a smartphone works)
• A microphone
• Lighting
• Editing software and skills (or an editor)
• Thumbnail design
• More time per video (scripting + filming + editing)

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If you're doing everything yourself, podcasting is genuinely easier to start and maintain. The production overhead is lower, which means you're more likely to stay consistent.

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However, if you're working with a production agency like us, this difference disappears. We handle all the production. Your time commitment is the same either way — about 1-2 hours per month in front of the camera or microphone.

Compounding Value: YouTube Wins

A YouTube video published today can generate views and leads for years. Someone searching "how franking credits work" in 2028 might find and watch a video you published in 2026. Every video in your library is a permanent, searchable asset.

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Podcast episodes don't compound the same way. Nobody scrolls back through a podcast feed to find an episode from two years ago. Podcast listening is overwhelmingly frontloaded — most downloads happen in the first week after release, then trail off to near zero. Each episode is a depreciating asset, not a compounding one.

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This is the compounding effect that makes YouTube particularly powerful for financial advisors. A channel with 100+ videos is a content library working for you around the clock.

The Best of Both Worlds: Why Not Both?

Here's the thing most people don't realise: a YouTube video can become a podcast episode with almost zero additional effort.

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Film your YouTube video. Extract the audio. Upload it as a podcast episode. You now have presence on both platforms from a single recording session.

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This is what many of the most successful financial advisor content creators do. YouTube is the primary platform — it drives discoverability, search traffic, and lead generation. The podcast version extends reach to people who prefer audio (commuters, gym-goers, multitaskers).

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You get the search benefits of YouTube and the convenience benefits of podcasting without doubling your production effort.

Our Verdict

Start with YouTube if:

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• You don't have an existing audience and need to be discovered
• Lead generation is your primary goal
• You want content that compounds over time
• You're willing to invest in production quality (or hire an agency)
• You want measurable, data-driven results

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Start with a podcast if:

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• You already have a significant audience (newsletter, social following, referral network) that will tune in
• You want the lowest possible production effort and cost
• You're primarily doing it for existing client engagement rather than new lead generation
• You're genuinely uncomfortable on camera (though this usually passes after a few sessions)

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Our recommendation:

Start with YouTube. Add the podcast as a free by-product. You get 100% of the discoverability and lead-generation benefits of video, plus the reach extension of audio — from the same recording session.

Want to Know What YouTube Could Do for Your Practice?

We'll analyse your market, competition, and opportunities in a free growth audit. No obligation, no pitch deck — just a personalised analysis of your YouTube potential.